Method of making design printing



Jan. 28, 1936. w. E. BRAWN 2,029,220

METHOD OF MAKING DESIGN PRINTING CYLINDERS Filed Nov. 18, 1931 PatentedJan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIETHOD OF MAKING DESIGNPRINTING CYLHVDERS Worthen E. Brawn, Brunswick, Maine, assignor toPejepscot Paper Company,

Brunswick,

7 Claims.

This invention includes a novel method of making design printingcylinders. The design printing cylinder is especially adapted for use inapparatus for printing designs on paper webs in a paper making machineafter sufiicient water is eliminated from the web, such as disclosed inmy companion application (case No. 7866) filed September 17, 1931,Serial No. 563,378.

To enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the invention Iwill explain same with reference to the accompanying drawing, and referto the claims for summaries of the essential features of the method andthe product for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a complete designcylinder made in accordancewith my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a semi-cylindric stereotype platebearing part of the complete de- S gn.

Fig. 3 is a view of a cylindric segment made by trimming said plate tosuch size that the edges of the design thereon will exactly match withthe edges of an adjacent like segment or segments.

Fig. 4 is a view of a ring or tube formed of a plurality of segmentssuch as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through Fig. 1 showing how a pluralityof rings such as shown in Fig. 4 are assembled on a supporting roll orshaft to form therewith a complete design printing cylinder.

In constructing a design printing cylinder in accordance with myinvention the design, or a complete repetitive unit thereof, is formedon a 5 suitable plate or surface from which a matrix such as commonlyemployed in the casting of stereotype plates can be formed. The originaldesign from which the matrix is to be made may be produced by etching orassembly of stereos 40 forming the design to be reproduced or in anyother suitable way.

To form a matrix flong or other suitable material is pressed onto suchplate or surface so that the design will be reproduced in reverse orintaglio 45 on the fiong, after the manner in which matrices areprepared for the production of stereotype plates in newspaper printingoflices. The impressed iiong is then dried and forms a matrix from whichstereotype plates can be cast. The

50 matrix contains a design or portion of a design in proper dimensionto give a plate the desired size with due allowance for shrinkage.

To cast a plate, the matrix is placed in a stereotype plate casting boxof the usual kind, and a 55 stereotype plate cast therefrom in the usualway,

such plate being semi-cylindric and having the design on the matrixreproduced in bas-relief on its surface; such a plate is shown at I inFig. 2. A number of such plates such as I can be quickly and easily castfrom the matrix.

As stated the stereotype design plates are pref erably castsemi-cylindric after the manner in common use in newspaper work so thatthey will fit on the periphery of a drum or cylinder 2 and aremachined-by planers and trimmers such as 10 used in newspaper work. Toprovide a printing cylinder having a continuous unitary design it isnecessary to use a number of duplicate plates thereon.

It is diflicult and ordinarily impossible to so 15 nicely castsemi-cylindric plates that two of them can be trimmed to 180 andaccurately match the design at the meeting edges of adjacent plates.With some simple designs this might be possible but with more intricatedesigns tov insure com- 20 plete accuracy and continuity of the designit is necessary that the plates be trimmed to a lesser size. OrdinarilyI trim the plates to 120 forming segments Ia (Fig. 3) so that three ofthem will surround the roll, and therefore to com- 5 plete the designaround the circumference of the roll three duplicate plates I (Fig. 2)are each reduced to segments la, having due regard for the position ofthe design on the plate. Three such segments la (Fig. 3) are joinedtogether to pro- 30 duce a ring or tube 2 (Fig. 4) whose surfaces bear acontinuous design around the cylinder.

Three matched segments Ia are assembled in ring form (Fig. 4) andpreferably placed in a suitable frame or holder which will retain themin accurate cylindric position and while so held the assembled segmentsare bonded together by melting the metal thereof on the inside and alongthe meeting edges of adjacent segments sumciently to insure a securebond, but the heat is not applied sufficiently to melt the entirethickness of of the segments or mar the outer surfaces thereof whereonthe design appears. The joints or welds between the plates are indicatedat lb in Fig. 4. The melting or welding may be accomplished by a hotiron, or torch, electric heater or other suitable means.

Where the design cylinder is longer than the length of the plate as inmy aforesaid application it is necessary to form a plurality of suchstereotype rings 4 as above described, and these meeting edges of theadjacent rings must exactly match and for this purpose the rings (Fig.4) can be put in a lathe and their ends trimmed to match the design atthe edge of one ring with the design at the meeting edge of the nextcylinder or rmg.

For example in the machine shown in my aforesaid companion applicationthe design cylinder is about 64 long and 4'7" in circumference andtherefore in order to provide the periphery of such a cylinder with acontinuous design, such as exhibited on the cast plate I, it isnecessary to cast twelve duplicate plates and trim them as described tosupply the twelve segments necessary to make four rings 2 of threesegments each.

After the rings are made and trimmed as described they are slippedendwise onto the drum 3. Preferably this drum has a central annular rib3a against which the adjacent edges of the two innermost rings 2abut,-said rib is of less thickness than the rings, and the adjacentedges of the innermost rings 2 are recessed as at Ic (Fig. 4) so thattheir adjacent edges can meet over the rib and the design printingsurface be continuous and unbroken at this point.

The two inner rings may be first slipped onto the drum, from oppositeends thereof, and then the two outermost rings slipped on and closelyabutted against the inner rings; and they are confined againstrotatorial and endwise movement on the drum by any suitable means. Asshown annular collars 4 are fitted on the ends of the drum and abutagainst the outermost'edges of the outermost rings 2, and the collarscan be fastened to the drums and clamp the rings endwise by means ofbolts 4a as shown in Fig. 5.

Preferably after the rings have been made as above described they areheated to expand them and whilestill hot and expanded, are slid onto thedrum as described. As the rings cool they shrink and bind tightly andevenly upon the drum surface. The annular rib 3a permits slipping on ofthe rings from opposite ends of the roll and insures proper location ofthe warm rings on the roll.

By tightening the bolts 4a the end collars 4 are caused to firmly clampthe stereotype rings from each end of the drum, and will hold themfirmly in place and together with the above described shrinking of therings prevents creeping. If desired the roll might'have a longitudinalrib or ribs and the rings have internal longitudinal grooves to engagesuch ribs to prevent creeping of the rings around the roll.

While -I have found it desirable to'use three segments to make a ring, Ido not consider the invention restricted to such number. But theordinary stereotype plate casting boxes will cast stereotype plates ofsuch size that a complete design ring can be easily made from segmentscut from three such plates.

The plates 1 can be quickly and easily cast in any quantity, and usedfor making a continuous cylindric design of any size for printing on apaper web. Bytrimming these plates to a size of exact dimensions, thetrimmed plates can be assembled on a roll to form a cylinder having acontinuous design on its entire surface. Uniting the trimmed plates bybonding or melting the metal along the meeting edges of adjacent platesenables a perfect cylindrical ring or tube to be formed on which thedesign is continuous. Furthermore the design on one ring can be made toregister perfectly with the design on like rings,

thereby producing a continuous unitary design of any desired size on theroll. By this method any number of small cast metal plates can beassembled to form a continuous design printing surface on the peripheryof a roll and a design printing cylinder having a continuous design ofany length can be readily made to suit any width of machine. Assemblingthe plates into rings asclescribed is practical, easy and accurate, andobviates bolting or screwing separate plates to the drum, or usingclamps between plates to hold them in place. The drum and platesassembled as directed form a cylinder of great rigidity. By

. accurate control of the dimensions in the original photographs andetchings from which the matrices are made cylinders having continuousdesigns ontheir surfaces can be accurately constructed. Uniting thesegments into rings permits of easy assembly thereof on a roll. Suchrings can also be easily removed from the roll, and rings of anotherdesign assembled thereon.

'As hereinabove described the design was supposed to be a unitary designcomprising a plurality of duplicate sections each of which could bedisplayed on a single plate or segment. Obviously however some designsmight be larger than could be displayed on a single plate, and

would require two or more plates or segments to contain it; in such casetwo or more non-duplicate plates would have to be cast each embodying acertain section of the complete design, which plates when properlytrimmed and united in rings, and such rings assembled on the cylinder ordrum, will disclose the complete design; In some instances the completedesign might' be small enough to be displayed on a single plate orsegment in which case the design cylinder could be covered with aplurality of such plates or segments, each containing a complete design.

Iclaimz- I 7 1. The herein described method of making design printingcylinders; consisting in forming a curved segment having on its exteriorsurface the design or a section of the design, assemblinga plurality ofsuch segments edgewise ina circle, melting the interior portions of theabutting edges of the assembled segments to unite them ina ring, andplacing such ring on a supporting roll.

2. The herein described method of making design printing cylinders;consisting in casting curved segments each'having on its exteriorsurface the design or a part thereof, assembling a plurality of suchsegments in a circle, melting or welding the interior portions of theabutting edges of the segments together to un'ite them in a-ring; andplacing such ring on a supporting roll. r

3. The herein described method of making design printing cylinders,consisting in casting a curved plate having on its exterior surface apart of the complete design, trimming such plate to form asegment,assembling a plurality of such segments in a circle, melting theinterior portions of the abutting edges of the plates to unite them intoa ring or tube, and placing such rings on a supporting roll; the partsof the design on the abutting edges of adjacent segments in each ringand in abutting rings registering.

4. The herein described method of making a 5. The herein describedmethod of making a design printing cylinder, consisting in casting astereotype plate having part of the complete design on its exteriorface, trimming such plate to a segment of less size containing acomplete section of the design, assembling a plurality of such segmentsin a circle with their edges abutting, melting the interior portions ofthe abutting edges of the segments at the inner sides thereof to unitethe same into a, continuous ring, and assembling such rings on asupporting roll; each of the segments forming a section of the completedesign, and the design on the abutting edges of adjacent segmentsregistering.

6. The herein described method of making design printing cylinders,consisting in preparing the design in has-relief on a plate, making amatrix from such plate, casting a stereotype plate from such matrix,trimming such plate to insure registration of the edges thereof withabutting plates, assembling a plurality of such plates in a circle withtheir edges abutting, melting the interior portions of the abuttingedges of the plates to form a ring, and assembling such rings on asupporting roll.

7. The herein described method of making design printing cylinders;consisting in preparing the design in has-relief on a plate, making amatrix from such plate, casting a semicylindric stereotype plate fromsuch matrix, trimming such plate to a segment of less size containing acomplete section of the design to insure registration of the edges ofthe design thereon with the design on the abutting edges of adjacentsegments, assembling a plurality of such segments in a circle with theiredges abutting, partially melting the abutting edges of the plates onthe inner sides thereof to unite them into a continuous ring, andassembling such rings on a supporting roll.

WORTHEN E. BRAWN.

